Unplugged Energy Independence

Eric Brannon has been selling firewood for 15 years, but it wasn’t until spring 2011 that he began selling WoodMaster stoves. His reasoning for becoming a dealer? Good ol‘ competition.

“There’s only one person in the area who sells wood furnaces, and I decided he needed a little bit of competition,” says Eric, founder and owner of Lawn Masters & More in Athens, Ohio.

Lawn Masters & More is a contracting and construction landscape business, but they also distribute firewood, which Eric uses to supplement his income during the winter months. Selling wood stoves is a natural fit to accompany Eric’s firewood distribution, and the business the stoves bring in have helped further bridge gaps in his income.

Eric runs his business on the tenet that home landscaping is an expression of your personal style, which is one of the reasons he said he chose to sell WoodMaster.

“The unit is pretty refined in looks, compared to others in the market,” says Eric. “If you are going to burn firewood for your main source of heat, then WoodMaster is a no-brainer for both energy efficiency and aesthetics.”

That’s the motto of Jason Osborn, founder and owner of C & C Heating in Nokomis, Ill., and one of WoodMaster’s new dealers.

Jason has been in the heating and cooling business for 20 years and started selling WoodMaster stoves in October 2011.

“I’ve been really surprised at how it’s taken off,” says Jason. “I didn’t think we’d sell any stoves by the end of the year, but we sold nine.”

Jason is a WoodMaster newbie, but he’s no rookie to the wood stove industry. After installing stoves distributed by other companies for nine years, Jason decided C & C Heating might as well carry its own line of energy-efficient stoves. Jason currently sells all the WoodMaster stove models, and his best-selling model is the WoodMaster 4400.

“Selling WoodMaster gives us an advantage because we’re now the only heating and air company around that does everything, from selling the stove to installing and maintenance,” says Jason.

One of Jason’s business goals is to offer his customers affordable heating options, a mission in which WoodMaster’s energy-saving stoves fit perfectly. Jason’s customers benefit from lower heating costs, and C & C Heating profits from the increased business.

Jason says he always calls customers to see how they’re liking his products, and every customer that has purchased a WoodMaster stove has been more than pleased with their purchase.

“Everyone loves them and most people wish they would have done it years ago,” he says.

The best thing about being a WoodMaster dealer? The inside edge it gives his company, says Jason.

“If you don’t do something different than everyone else, you don’t stand out. Selling WoodMaster has helped us quite a bit because we offer things that other heating and air companies don’t,” says Jason. “I couldn’t ask for anything better in the stoves.”

When WoodMaster dealer Jonathan Wells’ first batch of furnaces were delivered, the first thing he did was put one in his own house.

“As far as I’m concerned, WoodMaster has one of the best wood-burning products out there, and I’ve looked at a lot of them,” says Jonathan. “I figured if I’m going to sell them, I ought to have one.”

Jonathan and his brother, Brian Wells, began selling WoodMaster furnaces one month ago as an experiment in supplementing his family-owned contracting business during the slower, winter months. So far, he’s sold ten WoodMaster furnaces and says it’s been “going without a hitch.”

Jonathan, part-owner of Wells Contracting in Murphy, N.C., currently sells WoodMaster wood furnace models, including the WoodMaster 4400; however, his eventual goal, as long as there is demand, is to carry all WoodMaster products.

“We’re open to selling every item WoodMaster offers, including the pellet furnaces and bioenergy flex fuel furnaces,” says Jonathan, explaining he and Wells Contracting staff have plans to travel to WoodMaster headquarters in Red Lake Falls, Minn., for training on other WoodMaster products.

Jonathan has sold furnaces to people of all ages, from people in their 20s to people in their 70s. With his sales of wood-burning WoodMaster furnaces already thriving, he is considering investing in a wood processor to sell wood along with the stoves.

One of WoodMaster’s main benefits, says Jonathan, is “person-friendly heat.”

“You get the benefit of burning wood without the mess—there’s no dust or ashes, so it’s good for people with allergies,” explains Jonathan.

As a business owner, Jonathan says his job description is simple: “to make sure the customer is pleased, regardless of whether I make money on the project. We take pride in our work and go the extra mile to make someone happy.”

Jonathan says all of his WoodMaster customers have been overly surprised with the product’s efficiency.

“I like to see people smile when they crank it up and see how great it works,” says Jonathan. “They knew it was going to work well, but they didn’t know it would work this well.”

With “customers calling all the time to tell him how they love the system,” it’s safe to say that selling WoodMaster products fits right in with Jonathan’s job description.

The larger door. Strong insulation that keeps the heat in. Its ability to turn off the fan if the wood gets low. Sturdy steel throughout. All are reasons why Canadian company Northern Outdoor Energy Systems Ltd. was attracted to WoodMaster furnaces and began selling them in May 2005.

Owners Rob and Marilyn Beauchesne had been in the outdoor furnace business for two years before the WoodMaster furnace features caught their attention. Over the past six years of selling WoodMaster furnaces, the Beauchesne’s business has benefited from happy WoodMaster customers. Marilyn explains, “Our customers are extremely pleased with the performance of the WoodMaster furnace, and as they recommend it to their family and friends, our business grows.”

Like Richard Worley, Marilyn reports the 4400 WoodMaster furnace as their biggest seller. “With its 5,000-square-foot capacity, it can heat a home, shop, domestic water heater and hot tub all at once,” Marilyn explains. “Our customers are happy with the heat it produces and wish they had purchased one years ago!”

After selling over 400 outdoor furnaces, the Beauchesnes feel “extremely confident” in the quality and performance of the WoodMaster furnaces. Proof that customers agree is evidenced by the many trade-ins of other brands brought to the store. WoodMaster furnace owners enjoy steady warmth in their homes and always-hot water, as well as a significant decrease in heating bills.

Many of the Beauchesne’s customers share only one regret, and that is: “We wish we would have done this years ago.”

Have you ever been so happy with a product or service that your only regret was not buying it sooner? What was it?

That’s when Richard Worley bought his first WoodMaster furnace. Little did he know that this one purchase would not only save him money on heating costs, but also provide his future income. A year later, in 1997, Richard opened Richard Worley Sales & Service and became a WoodMaster dealer.

“I loved my new furnace,” explains Richard, “and was inspired to make a career change to start selling a product I believe in.”

Over his past 14 years as a WoodMaster dealer, Richard says his best seller by far is the WoodMaster 4400 Heavy-Duty furnace. Engineered to heat larger homes or home-garage combinations, “It’s about the right size to suit almost everyone’s needs,” he says. Many of Richard’s customers opt to share a WoodMaster. Often father-daughter or brother-sister duos, with houses in close proximity, will heat two houses with one furnace.

Richard says his career as a WoodMaster dealer is very rewarding. The best part: hearing people who’ve owned a WoodMaster for a few years come back and say what a smart purchase it was. They’re very happy with their furnace and love reaping the rewards of lower heating bills.

Richard explains one devoted WoodMaster fan’s daily routine: “When he wakes up in the morning, the first thing he does is hug his WoodMaster furnace… before he hugs his wife.” That certainly goes beyond customer satisfaction.

Has your passion for a product ever influenced the direction of your career? Please, do tell.